Steering mechanism for twowheeled tractors or the like



STEERING MEHANISM FOR TWO-WHEELED TRACTORS OR THE LIKE Filed Nov. 1s, 194e 5 sheets-sheet 1 Feb. 15, 1949. H, C, lFRENCH v 2,461,596

STEERING MECHANISM FOR TWO-WHEELED .TRACTORS ORv- THE LIKE` y File Nov. 18, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 w HIIIIII HTZ'O/ENEQS.

Feb. l5, i949. l H. c. FRENCH f 2,461,596`

STEERING MECHANISM TWO-WHEELED y TRACTORS OR THE LIKE Filed Nov. 18, 1946 3 Sl'xeets-Svheec- IN VEN TOR.

Patented Feb. 15, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEERING MECHANIHSM lFOR TWO- WHEELED TRACTORS OR THE LIKE Henry C. French, Elm Grove, Wis., assignor to The Heil Co., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application November 18, 1946, Serial No. 710,636

(Cl. ISO-79.4)

11 Claims. v l This invention relates to improvements in steering mechanism for two-wheeled tractors or the like.

When two-wheeled tractors are employed for the purpose of pulling two-wheeled trailer units,

such as Scrapers, dump wagons or the like, the "i Heretofore considerable difficulty hasj-'f It is a general object of the present invention to provide improved steering mechanism of the class described wherein the steering speed is always in direct proportion to the traveling speed of the vehicle.

A more specic object of the invention is to* provide power-operated steering mechanism as above described, wherein, during normal operation, when the tractor engine is running at higher speed than the speed of the vehicle, power for steering is derived from the engine, and wherein,v

when the engine is dead orwhen the vehicle is traveling at a higher speed than the engine, power for steering is derived from the rear wheels of the tractor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction as above described wherein there is an intermediate element supporting a first fth wheel pivot member on the tractor in a manner to provide for rocking movement on a -horizontal axis extending longitudinally on the tractor` and wherein there is novel means for transmitting power for steering from the tractor to transmission means on said rockable member.

A further object of the invention is to provide steering mechanism for two-wheeled tractors or the like wherein there is a positive lock so that there is no slippage and no undesired steering action when the steering controls are not being manipulated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a. construction as above described wherein the vertical axis of the fth wheel pivot is so disposed and constructed as to cause the tractor to tend to return to a straight line position, after steering, as soon as the steering controls are released. Thus, wandering of the vehicle ls vented.

invention consists in the improvements in steering mechanism Vfor two-wheeled tractors or the like, and all its parts andv combinations/asset forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings,illustrating one complete embodiment of the preferred form of the invention, in which the same reference numerals designate theysame parts in all of the views: A,

Fig. 1 is a View ofthe tractor, generally in side elevation, with parts broken away and shown in longitudinal vertical section, a portion of the neck l oi the trailer vehicle being illustrated at the fifth wheel in assembled relationship with the tractor;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the tractor, parts of the body being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing the fifth wheel Vand driving connections therefor,

Y parts being broken away and shown in horizontal section; and

Fig. 4 is a schematic view in perspective illustrating the power flow to the steering mechanism 25 .and vehicle wheels.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral It designates a tractor having aninternal combustion engine II provided with a crank shaft I2 (see Fig. 4), the crank shaft being equipped with the usual fly Wheel I3. LThrough the medium of a suitable clutch `Ill and transmission I5, motion is transmitted to a main drive shaft IB, there being universal joints I'I and I8. Driven by the main drive shaft is a gear I9 which meshes with a gear 2t rigidly mountedf'on a shaft 2l. Through suitable differential gearing 22 motion is transmitted to the rear axle V23 and through suitable gear reduction sets 24, motion is transmitted to the tractor wheels 25.--

' On the front of the crank shaft is a sprocket wheel 26 which is connected by an endless chain 2l with a larger sprocket wheel 28. is mountedrigdly on a hub 29v forming anv over running clutch which normally causes the sprocket wheel to drive a shaft 36. The shaft 30 is connected by auniversal joint 3| with a shaft section 32, and the latter is connected by 'a universal joint 33 with ,a shaft 34 of a reversing box 35. Mounted on the shaft 34 Within the reversing box is a sprocket Wheel 36. and -a gear 31.- Between the sprocket wheel 36 and gear 31 is a clutch 38.

' Extending parallel to the shaft 34 within the reversing box 35 is another shaft 39 carrying a sprocket wheel 40 and agear 4I; The sprocket wheels 36' and dllyare connected by-an endless The latter chain 42 and the gears 3E and 4l are in mesh. Between the sprocket wheel and the gear is a clutch 43. The rear end of the shaft 3S carries a rigidly mounted sprocket wheel 44 which is connected by an endless chain with a sprocket wheel 45 .mounted en a shaft y452i. The latter is connected by a universal joint #il with an Yinternally splined tubular shaft d8. An externally splined shaft 49 ts within the tubular shaft 48 for relative sliding movement. The shaft de is connectedhy a universal jointil witha shaft .5l journalled'in a housing 52 (see Figs. 1 and 3), projecting upwardly from amainhensing 53 car ried by an intermediate element :M

The intermediate element has a shaft 55 associated with the lower portion thereof and prof vided with projecting ends which are journalled in ears 56 extending upwardly from Vthe frame of the tractor. The shaft 55 is so disposed that its axisiszat an acute angle with the horizontal while extending `generally longitudinally of the tractor.

.Projecting upwardly from the intermediate ele Ament 54 a king pin or rst fth wheel pivot member 1. A second fth wheel pivot member 58 which is circular morose-section is rigidly connected to the forward end cf a neck 55 projecting from the trailer vehicle. The connection between -the fifth wheel pivot members .5l and '5S is such as to provide .for relative rotation, and it is to Toenoted that the axis of .rotation .departs .from Vthe perpendicular and isinclined slightly Vforwardly in the vertical plane of the' longitudinal center line of the trailer for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

"Bolted' to the lower periphery of the second fifth Wheelpivot member 513A is a worm wheel '6o which meshes with a worm El rigidly mounted on a shaft 62,. "The latter shaft is journalled transversely of the housing 53 on the intermediate element. Mounted rigidly on the shaft 62 near one of its ends is a worm whee1'63'whch enga-ges a worm it vmounted `onthe shaft E'I The shaft 34 in the reversingbox 35 has a rear end connected by annrversalj-ointiwitha rearwardly extending shafted Thelatter is connectied by universal joint El with a shait section 168. Rigidly Aconnected to thefshaft 68 is a gear $2 which meshes'with a large gear 'l0 "(see Figs.

2 and-4). The gear 1B is mounted on an idler 'shaft Il, and the latter may carry a winch 12, if desired. The gear lll is also inmesh with a gear fle mounted zon therear end of a shaft 14. 'The shaft "M is connected by an overrunning clutch 't5 with the extension of 'the 'main drives-haft |95 on which the mai-n gear-i419 is mounted.

v`The rock shaft TB is connected :by .a linkage e! with-the other `clutch-43 within the reversing box.

Operation puring vnormal operationfof the tractor, lwhen Lthe engine il! 'is rim-ningY at higher speed than the speed of the tractor, Ypower for steering is furnished through transmission of motion from the crank shaft i2 `tlsrrough the sprocket shaft :2l to the shaft 32. If litlis Vdesired to steer in one direction, the hand'flever Tl `is manipulated. This will CSI 4 act through the rock shaft 16 and linkage 'I8 to cause engagement of the clutch 38 within the reversing box 35. Inasinuch as the clutch $3 is out of engagement, power from the shaft 32 will be transmitted through the gears 3'! and lil,

`through the sprocket wheels Ali and 45, to the tion. To steer inthe opposite direction, the hand lever His manipulated to causea disengagement vof the clutch 38, and the hand lever 853 is operated to cause an engagement of the clutch 43. Power'rom the shaft 32 will then be transmitted .by the sprocket chain ft2 to the sprocket wheel 4B, andsshait 3S. This will cause a rotation of the .shaft 38 inareverse direction from its ldirection of rotation when driven by the gear 31. A relative rotation will .then take place between the membersl'.' and 5.8 in the .same manner as heretofore described, but in a reverse direction to vaocomolish ,steering in such reverse direction.

During movement of .the vehicle over rough or uneven ground, .the roclrable mounting of the intermediate .element Eid on the axis Vof the shaft permits one vehicle to tilt laterally without aiecting .the other vehicle. Such rocking movenient is .permitted 'by the splined connection ,between theshafts t and '43 and by the universal joints M and 5B.

During certain types of operation, when the vehicle is travelling down hill, the speed or the vehicle may be greater than the engine speed.

'When such is the case, it is verynndesirable to have a slow steering action proportionate only to the speed of .theengine It is .also exceedingly dangerous, if the engine should stall while the vehicle is travelling at a relatively high rate 'down an incline, to have steering action suddenly interrupted. 'The present invention takes cere .of .these important contingencies. Whenever the engine is dead, or whenever the travelling speed of the vehicle is greater than the engine speed, then the overrunning clutch 29 will automatically disconnect the shaft 32 from its drive through the sprocket .chain 2l. At the same time the overrunning clutch v'l5 will act to cause the shaft 14 to be driven by the wheels through the shaft 2i and gears 2S and i9. The rotating shaft 'la will transmit vits motion through the gears T3., i6, and ES, to the shaft 5S. The latter will drive Athe shaft within the reversing'lcox 35 and permit steering in the same manner asheretofore Ydescribed with power, however,

being vfurnished from the rear `wheels of the moving vehicle.

After steering in one direction or the Vother has been effected and immediately after the hands are Vreleased from the steering controls, the arrangement is such, due to a novel feature of this invention, that thetractor tends to return to a straight line direction. This is accom- -plished in combination with the rockable mounting on the axis of the `sl'la'ft 55 'by having the king pin El inclined'forwardly somewhat with approximately a 3 incline from the perpendicular as vis clear from Fig. l.. This causes the tractor frame inthe front to'rise slightly away from the the center position as soon as the steering controls 'are released.

It is apparent from the above that the steering mechanism above described normally makes use of the power furnished by the vehicle engine to accomplish steering, but insures steering action during certain operating conditions when the speed of the vehicle is greater than the speed of the engine. It is also apparent that the direction of steering is controlled in a simple manner and that power is transmitted to the fifth wheel without in any way interfering with the relative rocking motion of the intermediate element.

Various changes and modifications may be made without 'departing from the spirit of the invention, and all such changes are contemplated, as may come within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a wheeled pulling vehicle having an engine, a trailer vehicle, a first fth wheel pivot member on the pulling vehicle, a cooperating fifth wheel pivot member rotatable with respect to said rst fifth wheel pivot member and connected to the trailer vehicle, a, power takeoff from said engine, steering mechanism normally driven by said power takeoff from the engine for causing relative rotation in a selected direction between said two fifth wheel pivot members, a power takeoff from the wheels of the pulling vehicle, and means for automatically causing said steering mechanism to be driven by the power takeoff from the wheels whenever the speed of the vehicle exceeds the speed of the engine.

2. In combination, a wheeled pulling vehicle having an engine, a trailer vehicle, a first fth wheel pivot member on the pulling vehicle, a cooperating fifth wheel pivot member rotatable with respect to said first fth wheel pivot member and connected to the trailer vehicle, a power take oii' from said engine, a power takeoi from the wheels of the pulling vehicle, steering mechanism at the fifth wheel for causing relative rotation in a selected direction between said two fifth wheel pivot members, means connecting said steering mechanism to the power takeoff from the engine when the speed of the engine exceeds the speed of the vehicle, and means connecting said steering mechanism to the power takeoff from the vehicle 'wheels when the speed of the vehicle overtakes the speed of the engine.

3. In combination, a wheeled pulling vehicle having an engine, a trailer vehicle, a first fifth wheel pivot member on the pulling vehicle, a cooperating fifth wheel pivot member rotatable with respect to said first fifth wheel pivot member and connected to the trailer vehicle, la power takeoff from said engine, a power takeo from the wheels of the pulling vehicle, steering mechanism at the fifth wheel for causing relative rotation in a selected direction between said two fifth wheel pivot members, means including an overrunning clutch connecting said steering mechanism to the power takeoff from the engine when the speed of the engine exceeds the speed of the vehicle, and means including an overrunning clutch connecting said steering mechanism to the power takeoff from the vehicle wheels when the speed of the vehicle overtakes the speed of the engine.

4. In combination, a wheeled pulling ,vehicle having an engine, a trailer vehicle, an intermediate elementsincludlng a rst fifth wh lpivot member mounted on the pulling vehicle-fior rocking movement on an axis which extends longitudinally of said pulling vehicle, a cooperating' fth wheel pivot member rotatable with respect to rst fth wheel pivot member and connected to the trailer vehicle, a power takeoff from said engine, steering mechanism at the fth wheel for causing relative rotation between said two fifth wheel pivot members, and means including an elongated transmission member at one side of said axis for rocking movement and extending generally longitudinally of the vehicle and having a universal joint at each end for transmitting power from said power takeoff to said steering mechanism, said transmission member having a portion formed of splined telescopic sections.

5. In combination, a two-wheeled pulling vehicle, a trailer vehicle, an intermediate element including a rst fifth wheel pivot member mounted on the pulling vehicle for rocking movement on an axis which extends longitudinally of said pulling vehicle, a cooperating fifth wheel pivot member rotatable with respect to said first fifth wheel pivot member and connected to the trailer vehicle, said pivot members being so disposed on their respective vehicles that the axis of rotation between them is inclined forwardly away from the perpendicular, and means for causing relative rotation in a selected direction between said two fifth wheel pivot members to cause steering move ment of the vehicles.

6. In combination, a wheeled pulling vehicle, a trailer vehicle, an intermediate element including a first fifth wheel pivot member mounted on the pulling vehicle for rocking movement on an axis which extends longitudinally of said pulling vehicle, a cooperating fifth wheel pivot member rotatable with respect to said first fifth wheel pivot member and connected to the trailer vehicle, a worm wheel surrounding said last mentioned pivot member and connected thereto, a worm supported for rotation on the intermediate element and engaging said wormwheel, Va wormwheel rigidly connected to and positioned axially of said worm -for rotation therewith, a second worm rotatably mounted on the intermediate element and in mesh with said second mentioned wormwheel, and means for transmitting power from the vehicle to said iast mentioned worm, said means being constructed so as to permit rocking movement of the intermediate element. 7. In combination, a wheeled pulling vehicle having an engine, a trailer vehicle, a first fifth wheel pivot member on the pulling vehicle, a cooperating fifth wheel pivot member rotatable with respect to said first fth wheel pivot member and connected to the trailer vehicle, a first shaft on the pulling vehicle, means including an overrunning clutch for connecting one end of said rst shaft to the pulling vehicle engine so that the shaft is driven by said engine when the clutch is in engagement, means including an overrunning clutch for connecting the other end of said shaft to the pulling vehicle wheels when said last clutch is in engagement and when the first clutch is out of engagement, a second shaft parallel to a part of said first shaft, means for transmitting motion from said second shaft to said fifth wheel pivot members to cause relative rotation between said two fifth wheel pivot members and steering of the vehicle, and means for transmitting rotation in a selected direction from said first shaft to said second shaft.

8. In combination, a wheeled pulling vehicle having an engine, a .trailer vehicle, an intermediate element including a rst" fifth wheel pivot .memben mounten on: the` pullngivehilelior-roelsing imovemeet .en Ian axis 'which extends .longi- ...tudinallygoi :said pnllingvehiole a cooperating thwheel pivot.y member rotatable with respect ,to :rst .-iifth. -wheel pivotl member and connected Iltofthe:f trailer vieliilevmpower takeoff from said engine, steering mechanism at the iitl'lwheel for sensi-ng -relative'rotation between said two fifth wheel pivot fmemleers, and means including La shaft donatedatone` side of said axis forrvrooliing miienient ier .transmitting power from `said power take-'off :to said i steering mechanism, said "Shaftincluding 'teleseopie sections and flexible i;iointsencieeing eens-trusted asnot tointerfere witliitheroelftainlity of. said intermediate element.

59.511 rconibination, a wheeled pulling Vehicle ,-havingifan engine, a traiiervehicle, an intermediate -,e lernent -ineluding a :first iiftli wheel pivot fmember mounten` (inthe-pulling vehicle forrocliing movement on fan axis which extends longitudinally noi said Agrilling vehicle, Va cooperating filth wheelpiet member rotatable with respect -to'iirst fth Wheel pivot member and-connected to theftzailer -veh'lele,.-a power take-eff -from said engine,.-steeisingmechanismat'tne fifth Wheel-for eansing rela-tive rotation between i-said two fifth xWhec-il -gpivot members, and means including an ,elongated -transmission member located at one sideof :said-axis for rocking movement and generally longitudinally of the Vehicle and having a universal `joint at each end for transmitting power from vsei-id po'aier Atakeoff `to said steering .meehanisnr .said transmission member having `a ,portionfformedofv-splined telescopic sections.

`1G. .In eombinatien, a .tWo-iiheeled pulling ve- .lu'elt e trailer vehicle, an vintermediate element :incillding a. first Vfifth wheel pivot member ,mounted-*oninepniiing Vehile for rocking movement on =an axis .which extends longitudinally of said pulling vehicle, a Acooperating ftn 'Wheel A.pli/:otmember rotatable -Witn Vrespect tofsaid irst Aith .wheel pivot member and connected to the .tizaiier wehiole, said `pivot members nein-g so dis- `pesed on their mespeotlve rvehicles that ithe axis of rotation between them is inclined-forwardly away frem'fthe perpendieularan'd inthe vertical offthe center-lineef the trailer fvehicle, and ns foricausingfrelative rotation'in-afseleeted ion between said twoifth` wheelnivotmeml wo .canse-steering movement of the'vehicies.

il. nfooinbination, a two-'Wheeledrpullingivemele, atrailer veniefe, an intermediateielement inelncling Ya :first flfth wheel pivot member lifted on the pulling vehicle for rec-kingimoveme J fion an axis `which--extenols longitudinally "of said'pulling` vehiolefand at' a -slightfinciineidownwerdly toward the front of the Vehicle, .a-lcooperating-niniwlieelfnivotmember rotatablewith 'respeetzte tsaid :first 'fthwheelfpivot memberland connected to thetrailer vehicle, the last mntioned pivot member fbeing so 4'disposed fand ltire before mentioned inclination ofthefaxlsffor'rookv FRENCH. REFERENCES CITED Tne Viellowin'g references fare of record jin the le vof 'this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1&055435 Post fFeb. 7, 1,922 :1;8683082 Swartz July 19, 1.932 5873,44? Mez-Cray s Aug.'23, 1932' 2,849,195 Perkins "May 16, 1944- @488359 YAkers 'Oct 1, 1945 -'2;.t2 5,631 =Mclntoslf1V -rAug. i12, 1947 

